Cricket

VCC 2016 - CHAMPIONS

Known to the world as the gentleman’s game, cricket has fascinated millions of people all over the world since its birth a couple of hundred years ago. Originally conjured by the English, the sport grew in popularity especially in the English colonies in Asia and Africa. As years passed by cricket became a widespread sport all round the world including the Caribbean islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North America.

Villanova cricket was confined to the environs of CEER and the ground behind it until a couple of years go. But the efforts of the cricketers bore fruit recently with Nova getting a chance to play a few cricket clubs in and around the Philadelphia area. Over the last 3 years Villanova’s cricket team had a chance to play matches against BOCC (British Officers Cricket Club), Prior Cricket Club, Eclipse Cricket Club, Lansdale Cricket Club etc. These friendly games helped Villanova gain some much needed exposure. Some surprising and unexpected victories boosted the confidence of the cricketers.

Villanova played its first official cricket match against Prior Cricket Club in June 2004. Harish Koduri was instrumental in scheduling and arranging the game. It took a lot of effort to coordinate and schedule the game. A bunch of players who played “CEER” cricket constituted the team and they were led by the young and enterprising Harish. A convincing victory over Prior gave Villanova new hope and confidence as this became one of the defining moments in Villanova’s cricket history.

The formation of Villanova Cricket Club in 2005 was a significant development in the history of nova cricket. At this point the International Student Office at Villanova University expressed interest in the activities of VCC. Mr. Steve McWilliams and Mr. Hubert Whan Tong showed a keen interest in the games to be played. The lack of a ground and proper sporting equipment became a huge hurdle in the cricketers’ path. The ISO has since then released funds especially for cricket.

This is a really commendable and appreciable gesture by the ISO and it has gone a long way in helping out cricket at Nova. Still there are many hurdles in VCC’s path such as the need for better sporting equipment and most importantly a play ground for practice.

This year an important development has been the participation of Villanova in the Inter collegiate cricket tournament organized by Temple University and reaching the final. Despite their busy academic schedules, the members of VCC made a concerted effort to put up a good show in the tournament. Ending runners up was no mean achievement and VCC hopes to be the winner next year.